Sam's Exotic Travels to Majestic New Zealand

New Zealand, located approximately 1,600 kilometers southeast of Australia, consists of two main islands. It is similar in size to Japan, Great Britain or the US state of Colorado. Its landscape is predominately mountainous with large sections of flat plains.

New Zealand's South Island is a majestic paradise – from the Marborough Sounds and Abel Tasman National Park in the north, the snow-capped Southern Alps stretching almost the entire length of the island, the remote Fiordland National Park in the southeast to the rocky coastline of the east coast – it is a remarkable kaleidoscope of colors, changing scenery and beauty.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

My wife and I spent a week there over Easter in 2006. Here's where we visited by our rental car:

2nd day - sunrise on beach at Punakaki (plus Truman Trek and Pancake Rocks), Fox Glacier and Hasst Pass (Mt. Cook hidden by clouds) to Wanaka, again wellafter dark. Took pictures of sunset on Lake Wanaka and moon over Lake Hawea - but I accidentally erased most of the pics of Fox Glacier, afternoon shots and the sunset pics.

3rd day - Sunrise shots of Lake Wanaka from Wanaka - then on to Manapouri (bypassing Queenstown), where I booked a cruise on Doubtful Sound (instead of Milford Sound due to travel times) for the next day and then spent late afternoon in Te Anau.

4th day - cruise on Doubtful Sound (day) and drove to Cromwell (past Queenstown) for the night.

5th day - up early, bypassing Christchurch to Kaikoura. Stayed across the road from the beach, 20 km south of town.

6th day - after sunrise, drove through Blenheim to Nelson (sunrise shots there)

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